Saturday, March 30, 2013

Civil disobedience spreads from Port Said to Ismailia

Sun, 03/03/2013

Dozens of protesters in Ismailia closed the governorate agriculture
and ministry department Sunday, as well as the real estate and public
tax authorities, and halted train traffic amid a growing civil
disobedience campaign.

Several marches have been staged in Ismailia over the past few days
calling for civil disobedience, coming amid reports that Public Notary
offices in the city have refused petitions from residents authorizing
Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to run the country. The Justice
Ministry has denied such reports.

The governorate has been rocked by protests against President
Mohamed Morsy’s rule since demonstrations marking the two-year
anniversary of the 2011 uprising in January. Clashes have also been
ongoing in Port Said and Daqahliya Governorates as well.

Calls for civil disobedience in Ismailia have also been made in
solidarity with a similar campaign in Port Said, where strikes have been
ongoing since 40 people were killed during clashes in January. The
clashes broke out after a court sentenced 21 local residents to death
for their involvement in the Port Said stadium violence, where 72 Ahly
Club fans were killed in February 2012.